The National tribune., 1887-12-01
PRIVATE DALZELL.


oOMe very fratticNi suggestions.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In Ohio wa
nave no call for relief fund in the Grand
Army Posts. The law provides for raising it
oy taxation at q rate not to exceed three mills
ON the total valuation of real aud personal prop
erty IN the State. This is discussed among the
needy comrades, their widows and orphans by
commission appointed by the court in each
county, and composed of two soldiers and one
civilian. 1t raises fund sufficient therefore,
to make a relief fund in the Posts wholly I'M
necessary.
by little attention to the matter, doubtless
the Legislatures of all the States could be in
duced to copy the patriotic Ohio law.
beg the comrades in all the Posts through
out the Union to lay this matter before their
Legislatures at once and give them no peace
until they copy our law. As Logan used to
say, 1t is the soldiers lot to be poor" and we
have very little to give our comrades in dis
tress, and have good right to 90 to the public
treasury, not TO beg il, but to demand it. in
cases OF necessity, to shell out and meet and
satisfy every just demand Of the soldier.
solicit correspondence with comrades on
this subject, and will gladly answer all ques-
tons they may ask me as to the operation of
this noble law. OF course it is not the duty Of
the States to do this for us unless the General
Government fail. it was for the whole Union,
the whole Government, that we fought and won
the fight and saved it from DEATH and it is the
TO meet all our wants; but if it continues to
prove ungrateful, unpatriOtic and mean let us
go 70 the State Legislatures as the Ohio BOYS
did, and compel them to shell out. IF you
petition your Legislatures they dare not say no.
Woe to the member of the Legislature in any
loyal State who would vote no on such bill.
Agltate it in the newspapers, pour your petit
tlons in on the Legislature, and the thing viii
go like house on fire. Boycott and spot
any newspaper, any party, any man who Op-
poses the measure. You gain nothing BY
mlncing matters. Spit it right out 90 for
them as you went for the JOhnnies-hOrse,
foot and dragon, charging with a cheer, if need
be with a curse, and you will soon make it,
In ONO until this law was passed we used TO
go to our relief fund for the money to bury
poor comrade and take care of his destitute
family. Now we simply go to the County
treasury and draw $50 TO bury him, and $40 or
$50 TOR the immediate relief Of the family on
the day of the funeral. So our Posts are al
ways in funds. We must drop all this mod
esty. We have earned the right to demand
and have all tho money we need, and we will
have it, tool
We beg nothing; we simply collect small
per cent. on a very bad debt long owed to US
by very stingy, mean and unwilling debtor.
Our demands are dltHs, not the pleas of beg
CARS or paupers. I have very little respect for
politicians, / declare! The longer I live the
less l have. They care little for the soldiers;
in fact despise us, and would curse Us to our
teeth if they did not want our votes. So in
approaching such people I would not beat
about the bush, but 20 for them as one goes for
people for whom he has no love and precious
little respect.
We have minced matters too much with these
scamps. We should keep a black book and
taboo every Congressman, Senator and legis-
latOr who daFes to vote no on any of our bills.
That is the only measure that will ever pene-
trate their thick hides and skulls. would
vote for the horned and hOOfed devil in any
party who would favor our equalization of
bOunties, arrears of pensions and the apprOpria-
ton of the Treasury surplus to favor soldiers
and their families. But will not vote for any
| politician. even if he were an angel from
heaven, if he goes back on these bills, or ever
| did.
/ Though we need no relief fund therefore,
| still our Posts always need little money for
other purposes. / don't believe in the Post
taking money OF its members.
/ There is no use of it,.
/ All this thing of dues and assessments is
wrongs and should be stopped. Most of the boys
are too poor to stand il, and 80 drop out and OF
/ the rolls.
That is all wrong.
/ The GAR is as good as the Church.--in fact
the only church most of US belong to,-and it
| should be free the Gospel-withOut money
/ and without price.
| When we gave the golden years of our young
| manhood we gave enOugh-indeed. all most of
\ Us had to give. The country owes us a living
/ / say 1T boldly. Let the people who own every
| cent they have because-and because only-Of
our service, be made to provide amply for all
| our wants.
| They owe it to us-and more, a thousand
| times mOre than we ever asked or received.
| And why not say 80 boldly as / do? It is
II l..
| ask il that we have not received il long ago. /
have confidence in the liberality Of the patriotic
/ people, although have none in the politicians.
/ The peoples hearts and purses were always
| open to the soldiers. They are anxious to be-
/ taxed for our relief 1t is pleasure for them
to give and keep giving, and / know it. They
/ Justly feel hOnOred in being Dern tied to give
| to decoration ceremonies, the burial of the Ma
| toms dead, and the relief of che Nations
/ wards They have never complained Be ib
/ said TO their honor the people, in the mass,
| with few mean exceptions, may be counted Is
the soldiers friends always and everywhere.
| So, now, the way to raise all money needed
| by the Post is plain and easy. Go to the peO-
| pie They will give largely and willingly all
/ that Posts need for all purposes. / never knew
| them to fail yet when appealed to by the right
/ men in the right spirit for any worthy object
proposed by the GAR.
They don't like beggars! Who does? But
Il theY admire ndnly neu WHO Stdlu up DclOfo
| them look them in the eye, and tell them their
duty to the soldiers. Then they give literally.
Let Campfres, Reunions. lectures, entertain
ments be presented by the soldiers of the
GAR. in every County, and invite the people
| to come and give quarter apiece, and they
| will do il. We always charge aquarter admis-
sion to our Reunions. Until we did so it used
to cost few of us a great deal Of money.
Now it costs US nothing except the quarter,
and leaves a large surplus of several hundred
dollars in our Post treasury all the time-far
more than we need for all purposes. The peo-
pie did it, and so willingly and kindly, too.
The people did il all and, comrades, adopt this
plan and you will drop no more comrades for
want of payment of dnes, for then you need
never ask any cOmrade again for q eent-nOt n
cent but let them give just as they feel Like
giving Unless this is done, the GAR. viii
fall to pieces and be but mere handful in the
| next two years.--PRIvArE DALZELL, Caldwell,